Description: This panel centers civic engagement as a key social determinant of health. Systemic racism, socioeconomic inequality, and access to basic human needs—food, transportation, housing, education, healthcare—are foundational to how communities live and die; and, each is shaped by our vote. The Schools of Social Work and Medicine are joining in partnership with a new generation of students and health professionals to promote health in the community, in the clinic, and in the ballot box. Come learn how students from across professional disciplines founded Vot-ER, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to integrating civic engagement into healthcare, UNC’s inaugural chapter.
Panelists:
Lisa de Saxe Zerden is an Associate Professor at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work. She currently serves as the Social Work Director of Interprofessional Education and Practice and is the Deputy Director of the UNC-Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center. Her research focus on the social drivers of health, integrated care, health workforce and policies, and harm reduction. Dr. Zerden served as the Senior Associate Dean for MSW Education for nearly seven years. She is the faculty advisor for UNC’s Vot-ER chapter.
Carson Lee Hash is a 2nd-year medical student at UNC. A double Tar Heel and NC native, Carson’s background in community primary care and clinical research has brought him in contact with underserved populations across NC and the US. At UNCSOM, Carson serves as president of Vot-ER, co-president of Healthcare for All UNC, and triage coordinator for the SHAC medical clinic.
Sofia Lawrence is a specialization-year social work student at UNC, concentrating her studies on Community Management and Policy Practice. Professionally, Sofia serves as an advocate for the Orange County Rape Crisis Center which ignited her passion for civic engagement in healthcare. With the support of The Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice, she helped to found UNC’s inaugural Vot-ER chapter.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the training participants will be able to:
- List and explain at least three ways that civic access is a social determinant of health.
- Describe at least two reasons that voter engagement is central to social work and health and mental healthcare.
- Articulate at least three tangible, actionable ways to encourage clients and communities to the polls.
References:
- Brown, C. L., Raza, D., & Pinto, A. D. (2020). Voting, health and interventions in healthcare settings: A scoping review. Public Health Reviews, 41(1), 16-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-020-00133-6
- Dawes, D., & Gonzalez, J. (2023). The politics of population health. The Milbank Quarterly, 101(S1), 224-241. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12603
- Habib DRS, Klein LM, Perrin EM, Perrin AJ, Johnson SB. (2023).The Role of Primary Care in Advancing Civic Engagement and Health Equity: A Conceptual Framework. The Milbank Quarterly, 101:731-767.
- Marmo, S., Leff, V., & Kim, S. (2024). Social work practice innovation and social determinants of health: Social work expertise for achieving health equity. Social Work in Health Care, 63(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2024.2279293
- Zerden, L. d. S. (2024). Voting: The new social determinant of health and a long-standing concept for social work. Social Work (New York), https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swae039
UNC SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK MACRO LECTURE SERIES